Propaganda
by suzie2b
Summary: Ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Propaganda**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Tully opened his eyes and found a very blurry world around him. He slowly rolled to his left and felt a stabbing pain in his head and groaned as he sat up on the cot.**

" **Tully? Thank God you're awake!"**

" **Hitch?" Tully blinked and shook his head to try to clear it. He tried to stand, but his legs couldn't hold him and he fell to his knees.**

 **Hitch gripped the bars of the cell wishing he could reach his friend. "Take it easy, Tully. You hit your head when you got knocked off that wall. You've been out for nearly an hour."**

 **Tully leaned on the cot and pushed himself up to sit on it again. "What happened?"**

" **We got caught. Somehow Colonel Berger knew we were coming and set a trap."**

" **Where's Troy and Moffitt?"**

 **Hitch shrugged. "Don't know. We had to separate when the fighting started. I think they got away."**

 **Tully put his hand to the side of his throbbing head and felt a large bump above his left ear. "I think I'm just gonna lay down for a while."**

 **##################**

 **Troy paced the room he and Moffitt were hiding in. "I should've gone over that wall first."**

 **Moffitt was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. "That just means you would've gotten caught instead of Hitch. It wouldn't have changed much."**

" **They were waiting for us. How did they know we were coming?"**

" **Obviously there's a traitor among us. Someone who knew our plans."**

 **Troy continued his course across the room. Other than Captain Boggs…" He stopped and turned.**

 **Moffitt looked up at his fellow sergeant. "You don't think it's Captain Miller, do you?"**

" **No one else was there when we were making our plans. Most of this was his idea … and it was his idea to come over the west wall."**

" **So, do we continue the mission and find Hitch and Tully? Or find Hitch and Tully and get out of here?"**

 **Troy said, "Forget the mission for now. There'll be another chance to get the documents. We'll get Hitch and Tully tonight and head back to base."**

 **Moffitt said, "You say that like you know where they are."**

" **Before you joined us we'd been here once before. General Bailing had been taken prisoner and we were sent to get him back. There are cells in the basement at headquarters. That's undoubtedly were Hitch and Tully will be."**

" **Were you successful?"**

 **Troy's eyebrows knitted together questioningly. "What?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Your mission to rescue the general. Was it successful?"**

 **Troy returned the smile and nodded. "Yeah, we got the general out."**

 **##################**

 **After several hours of sleep, Tully awoke feeling somewhat better. He sat up slowly and put his feet on the floor. His head still hurt, but his vision had cleared.**

 **Hitch looked at him through the bars. "Feeling any better?"**

 **Tully nodded as he carefully stood up. "Yeah … some. Wish I had an aspirin though." He walked slowly to the cell's door and looked across the corridor at his friend. "Has anyone been in to check on us?"**

" **The guard came in while you were sleeping. He made sure you were still breathing, then left."**

 **Tully smiled and said sarcastically, "Well, that was mighty kind of him."**

 **Hitch chuckled, then said, "Think Troy and Moffitt will come for us tonight?"**

" **You sure they got away?"**

" **Pretty sure. There was no sign that they'd been captured when the Germans brought us in."**

 **Tully looked at his watch. "If they're out there, they'll come for us."**

 **##################**

 **The Germans had given up their search for Troy and Moffitt, thinking they'd somehow managed to get off the base without being seen. However, the sergeants had spent much of the day on the move, staying ahead of the search parties.**

 **When darkness fell Troy and Moffitt were on a roof across from headquarters. They waited patiently as the office lights went out and people left for the night. Troy knew that the only ones left inside were the guards that toured the hallways and the one that would be watching the prisoners.**

 **He led Moffitt to the door that had been used when Troy and his men were there to rescue General Bailing. It was as unsecured as it had been before and they slipped inside.**

 **It wasn't long before they were going down the stairs to where Hitch and Tully were being held. After peeking carefully around the corner at the bottom of the stairs, they were able to quickly dispatch the guard that was dozing in a chair leaned back against the wall.**

 **Keys jingling in the lock had Hitch and Tully off their cots to see Troy and Moffitt coming through the door. The cell doors were quickly opened and the prisoners released.**

 **As they went over the wall to freedom, they heard the alarms go off and the search lights came on. However, it was too late. The Rat Patrol was gone.**

 **##################**

 **Hitch and Tully drove the jeeps until they arrived at the wadi they'd hidden in with General Bailing. There they could rest and make plans in the morning.**

 **When Moffitt went off to the top of the wadi to relieve Hitch on watch, Troy watched Tully swallow a couple of aspirin. "Moffitt and I saw you go down, and Hitch mentioned that you were out for quite a while."**

 **Tully shrugged. "I guess I was, but it's just a bit of a headache now. My vision and balance are back to normal."**

" **You've probably got a slight concussion. Let us know if you start having any problems."**

" **Sarge, they were waiting for us on that base, weren't they? They knew right where we'd be to catch us."**

 **Troy nodded. "Yeah, Tully. They knew we were coming. There appears to be a leak back at base."**

 **Tully asked, "What are we gonna do about it?"**

" **For now get some rest. When the sun comes up, we'll discuss it."**

 **##################**

 **When morning came, Troy and Moffitt filled Hitch and Tully in on their suspicions about Captain Miller. They formulated a plan and sent a cryptic message in code that only Captain Boggs would be able to decipher.**

 **Boggs had "message received" sent and went to work on the plan while the Rat Patrol headed for base.**

 **Soon Captain Boggs sent for Captain Miller. When he arrived in the office, Boggs said, "I'm afraid the mission was a failure, captain. A message from Colonel Berger's base was intercepted. Sergeant Troy and his men were killed during a firefight on the German base."**

 **Miller tried his best to look sad, but there was an underlying hint of happiness in his voice when he said, "I'm very sorry to hear that. I thought for sure Troy and his unit would be able to get that information. I'm afraid it's lost to us now."**

" **Don't be so quick to give up, captain." Boggs held up a sealed envelope. "We aren't without hope. High Command was prepared for the possibility that the documents might not be easily retrievable. This alternative plan will be in place shortly." He opened the thick envelope labeled "TOP SECRET" and laid the maps and paperwork out on his desk."**

" **Why didn't command tell me about this?"**

" **It was hoped that it wouldn't be needed. Command didn't want any confusion as to which plan was being used first. This one is a bit more complicated."**

 **Together Captains Boggs and Miller began to go over the details of the new plan.**

 **##################**

 **Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully hid behind a hill about a mile from Ras Tanura. They would have to wait until dark to sneak onto the base. The jeeps were covered with camouflage tarps and they hunkered down to wait.**

 **Tully thought about the message Troy had sent to Captain Boggs. He said quietly, "I'm glad Charley's out on a mission so she won't find out about my 'death' if word gets around."**

 **Troy said, "Let's hope we get this taken care of tonight. We can only play dead for so long."**

 **As soon as it was dark, Troy led the way to the "back entrance." The locks on the drainage line grates had been replaced after it was discovered they'd been cut off, letting German snipers onto the base.**

 **Troy whispered, "Tully, do you have you skeletons?"**

 **The private moved up next to the sergeant and produced a set of master keys that he'd made and stashed in the jeep. Tully quickly found the one that worked and they were in.**

 **The plan was to catch Captain Miller in the act of passing information to his German counterparts. They easily made their way to headquarters without being seen. After all, this was their home base and they knew the lay out all too well.**

 **Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully stationed themselves where they were out of sight, but they could see Captain Boggs' office window. He was to keep Miller busy going over the plans until Troy gave him the signal.**

 **When the sun went down, Boggs managed to get Captain Miller to one side of the desk with his back to the window. They went over and over the plans, making minute changes and discussing the quantity of men and equipment that would be needed. All the while waiting for the signal.**

 **The signal came as a flashlight was turned on and off twice. Captain Boggs saw it through the window and straightened up. "Well, captain, I think we've gone as far with this as we can for now. We have another day to work on it. Why don't we call it a night?"**

 **Captain Miller stood up and stretched his back. "Good idea. We can finish it up tomorrow."**

 **They said their good nights and Captain Miller left the office. Captain Boggs waited just long enough to be sure Miller was on his way, then retrieved a flashlight from a desk drawer.**

 **Three quick flashes of light let Troy know that Miller had left the office. They moved to where they could see the front of the building and waited for the captain to exit. Then they followed.**

 **##################**

 **Captain Miller walked briskly through the streets and past the barracks where his quarters were located without a sideways look. He continued through to the Arab quarter until he came to Hassan's Café. Then, after a brief look around, headed down the alley.**

 **Miller went by two houses where light shown through gauzy curtains. He stopped in front of a third building known as a derelict after a fire had gutted it. Again the captain glanced around, then went inside.**

 **It had been months since the fire, but the smell of smoke and charred wood was still heavy in the air when the Rat Patrol followed Captain Miller inside. They heard rather than saw him go up the stairs, then light could be seen as a lantern was lit. The windows of the upstairs room had been boarded up, so there was little chance of the light being seen from outside.**

 **Silently Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully started up the stairs. They heard the unmistakable sound of a radio crackling to life. At the top of the stairs they heard the radio being tuned.**

 **Troy signaled Hitch and Tully to stay on the landing. Then he and Moffitt went to the doorway of the room to listen.**

 **Miller was heard saying in German, "Dies ist schwarz Hund Blue Fox. Über."**

 **After a moment the call was repeated, then a radio operator said, "Das ist Blue Fox. Über."**

 **Miller demanded to talk to Colonel Berger. "Ich muss zum Oberst Berger sofort sprechen."**

 **The radio operator said he would send for the colonel and the radio went silent for several minutes. Then Colonel Berger's voice was heard as he said in English, "Captain Müller, a pleasure as always to hear from you. Do you have information for me?"**

 **The captain said, "Yes, sir. Captain Boggs has implemented a new plan of action…" And he went on to explain everything he and Boggs had discussed. "It is going to take place the day after tomorrow."**

" **Do not worry, captain. We will be ready for them, just as we were ready before. No one will steal the documents before they are taken to Field Marshal Rommel next week."**

 **Miller said, "At least we no longer have to be concerned about the Rat Patrol, sir."**

" **What are you talking about?"**

" **A report came through saying they had been killed by your men, sir. It's a shame. We could have…"**

 **Colonel Berger said, "Killed? If they were killed it wasn't while they were here. We caught two of them, but they managed to escape before we could question them."**

 **Miller suddenly felt a cold shiver run through him. "They escaped?"**

" **Yes. We've been waiting for them to try again, but we haven't seen any sign of them yet."**

 **Then Troy's quiet voice said, "The game's over, captain. Put the microphone down and put your hands up."**

 **As Miller set the microphone down and turned around, they heard Colonel Berger say, "** **Müller?" After a moments silence he tried again, "Captain Müller. Are you there?"**

 **Moffitt disarmed the captain and he and Troy began to escort him out, but Miller had no intention of going quietly … if at all. He pulled out of the grip Troy had on his arm and gave Moffitt a shove. The captain ran forward not realizing that Hitch and Tully were at the top of the stairs just outside the door.**

 **Captain Miller ran straight into Tully and they both tumbled down the stairs. Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch rushed down, where Tully was just starting to sit up. Captain Miller, or Müller—take your pick—was lying unconscious next to him.**

 **Hitch looked down at his friend. "Are you all right, Tully?"**

 **He reached up for the offered hand, and Hitch pulled him to his feet. "Yeah. Twisted my wrist, but I'm okay."**

 **There was a groan as the captain regained consciousness. Then he started to cry out in pain that his leg was broken. Upon inspection of the oddly angled leg, Moffitt said, "It is indeed broken."**

 **Troy sighed. "Hitch, go get an ambulance.**

 **##################**

 **After an x-ray that proved Tully's wrist was sprained and not broken, they went to talk to Captain Boggs. Troy and Moffitt explained the radio conversation between Müller and Colonel Berger.**

 **Boggs said, "He's obviously been feeding information to Berger, and possibly others, for some time. But we've got a handle on it now. I'll send a patrol out to watch the German base. If the colonel thinks Captain** **Müller has been captured, he may move up the timeline to get that information to Rommel. We'll get it as soon as it's shipped out."**

 **Troy said, "Yes, sir. Will we be the ones going back?"**

" **No, sergeant. I think you all deserve a little time off. As soon as I have your report on my desk, you can have three days to yourselves to rest."**

" **Thank you, sir. You'll have your report first thing in the morning."**

 **As they walked down the stairs and headed towards the door, Tully said, "I can't believe Müller was passing information practically from my backyard."**

 **Moffitt smiled. "There's no way you could have known."**

 **Hitch asked, "How's your head doing, Tully?"**

 **The private hesitated, then said, "Forgot all about my headache. Got a sore spot on the side of my head, but that's it."**

 **Troy asked, "And your wrist?"**

" **It's fine, sarge. No big deal."**

" **No big deal, huh? You could've killed yourself falling down those stairs."**

 **Hitch grinned. "Well, you have to remember that we were already supposed to be dead. Since you can't kill someone more than once he was safe enough."**

 **They pushed through the doors to the outside as Tully chuckled quietly. He held up his right hand to show off his wrist snuggly wrapped in an elastic bandage and said, "I must've come back to life about halfway down. That's how I got this."**

 **Moffitt grinned and said, "The reports of our deaths have been greatly exaggerated."**


End file.
